FOODPANDA platform operator Delivery Hero Philippines Inc. is looking increasingly beyond Metro Manila as thousands of small and medium-sized businesses in regional markets become a growing part of its merchant base.
The Foodpanda GmbH Philippine subsidiary now operates in 150 cities and municipalities nationwide, reflecting its expansion from its domestic launch in June 2014. The company works with thousands of partner vendors and delivery partners across the country, its current profile read.
According to Delivery Hero PHL Growth and Marketing Director Patricia Jacinto, the company’s regional presence is increasingly tied to the growth of local businesses that remain rooted in the communities they serve.
‘MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) outside Metro Manila are an increasingly important part of foodpanda’s business, with thousands of partner vendors across regional markets,’ Jacinto told the BusinessMirror.
She added the platform continues to see growth in its merchant base and overall business performance outside the capital.
Davao, for instance, has emerged as one of the regional markets where Foodpanda GmbH is seeing expansion among local merchants, according to Jacinto. Some of these businesses are using digital platforms to bring local food products and flavors into the wider online marketplace.
MSMEs make up the overwhelming majority of nationwide merchant base actively using the foodpanda platform, she said, mirroring the broader business landscape where more than 99 percent of establishments are classified as MSMEs, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. The company’s push into regional markets comes as digital platforms become another sales channel for businesses outside major urban centers, although Jacinto said simply getting online is not enough. The regional push also mirrors Foodpanda GmbH’s broader expansion across Asia. The company operates in more than 400 cities across 11 Asian markets, including the Philippines, according to its corporate profile.
In December 2025, Delivery Hero PHL reported a double-digit year-on-year increase in merchant sign-ups across Asia and said it would expand its merchant-support programs across its Asia-Pacific markets in 2026.
The company said regional programs are expected to focus on areas such as merchant onboarding, digital tools and other support mechanisms for small businesses.
Riders and the platform economy
ALONGSIDE merchant expansion, Delivery Hero PHL continues to participate in discussions on rider welfare and social protection as policymakers examine the future of platform-based work, the company said in a statement.
Jacinto said the company supports stronger protections for riders but maintained that any regulatory framework should consider the operating realities of digital platforms.
‘We support stronger rider welfare and social protection, but any framework needs to be sustainable and responsive to the realities of platform-based work,’ she told the BusinessMirror. ‘We believe this is best developed through continued dialogue between government and industry.’
According to the company, its riders are covered by insurance during active sessions, including benefits for accidental death, permanent total disability and accidental medical expenses.
The company also said it continues to engage with government agencies, local government units and industry groups on issues involving the platform economy, including discussions with the Department of Labor and Employment on decent work and rider welfare.